Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was in Toronto on August 29 to announce funding for a project to retrofit the TD Futures Cities Centre at Evergreen Brick Works.

The federal government is providing $2.4 million toward the project that provide a new educational and cultural space for Torontonians and offer improvements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase accessibility. Meanwhile, Evergreen, the national non-profit that stewards the site is providing just over $1.5 million to the initiative.

Once the project is complete in 2025, the transformed factory will host a new community studio and exhibition space.

“Evergreen Brick Works is an important community space for Torontonians that makes Toronto’s ravine system more accessible to everyone,” Freeland said. “This investment in Evergreen Brick Works’ facilities showcases our government’s commitment to building more inclusive, sustainable communities in Toronto and across Canada.”

Renovations will enhance the facility’s climate-resilient design and implement cutting-edge green technology. It will also include a new rooftop array of solar-thermal panels that will sync with the existing geothermal infrastructure to sustainably power the building.

The improvements are expected to reduce the facility’s energy consumption by an estimated 77.7% and greenhouse gas emissions by 1,572 tonnes annually.

“This investment supports renewable energy and energy efficiency at Evergreen Brick Works, and supports the creation of new and accessible community spaces,” said Evergreen CEO Jen Angel.

Federal funding is being provided through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program. The program was launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years, with Budget 2024 announcing an additional $500 million to support more projects until 2029.

On August 1, the GICB program began accepting applications for small and medium retrofit projects with eligible costs ranging from $100,000 to $2,999,999.

A second intake, for large retrofit projects and new builds with eligible costs ranging from $3 million to $25 million, will open on September 4. Eligible applicants include provincial, territorial, and local governments, not-for-profit and Indigenous organizations, as well as applicants who were unsuccessful under previous intakes.